Hope Enough
by poncholover
Summary: He glanced up, the consistency of the night sky taking him by surprise. Sure, they were unchanged since the turn, untouched and pure. The seemingly only thing to stay that way as the land over which they reigned went to hell.


He glanced up, the consistency of the night sky taking him by surprise. Sure, they were unchanged since the turn, untouched and pure. The seemingly only thing to stay that way as the land over which they reigned went to hell.

Daryl shook his head with a scowl, and he couldn't help but link this thought, this romantic notion, to her.

Her.

She didn't dominate his thoughts, there was work to be done. No, she flitted about, taking hold when his mind began to wander, which was quite often these days. She was there constantly on the outskirts, a nagging, teasing, scolding presence. There at the edge of his dreams, the last thing he saw before he fell asleep and the first thing he saw when he woke up. The burning of the tail lights etched permanently in his brain.

He couldn't go after her, he couldn't search for her with no lead. When they spent all those days searching for Sophia, they at least had that, some inkling where she could be. As much as he longed to tear the world apart to find her, he had no idea where to start.

Daryl wasn't selfish enough to indulge what he considered guilt. There was the group to think about, especially now that Maggie was expecting. It had been over a month since she was taken, they expected her dead by now anyway. But they hadn't seen the change in her, not as Daryl had. She wasn't a child anymore. She had become a fighter, yet she still held so much hope, so much blind faith. He hadn't believed it until he saw it for himself.

He saw it in the way she continued to march on with Hershel dead, and the rest of the jail with him. He saw it in the way she would set her jaw, brow furrowed with a consistent stubborn streak. He saw it in the way she trudged day after day while still having the ability to laugh, the sound echoed in his memory, faded from time apart.

It wasn't as if the camp had forgotten her, but how could they stop and mourn? She wasn't the first and most certainly won't be the last. Not with winter coming and food to be gathered and shelter to be found.

He refused to believe she was dead, or worse, wandering as a walker. He swallowed uncomfortably at the possibility. Someone would have to kill her if the death was not as merciful as she deserved. No, she was out there somewhere, staring at the same stars he was under with some ridiculous mindset that she would find them again. She had to be.

There was a rustling in the trees just beyond the reach of the crisp full moon, snapping him from the thoughts he found himself drowning in. He drew his bow, muscles taunt. A spark of adrenaline flooded his veins, and his heart began to pound faster in his chest. The rustling continued, and his instincts kicked in.

A person stumbled into the clearing where they had set up camp, where he was keeping watch. Its steps were erratic, unsteady, but he found he was unable to let the kill shot fly.

Blood streaked across the gaunt paleness of her skin, the moonlight reflecting her trademark golden hair. Her eyes, those bright blue eyes that haunted him, glistened with relief.

He should wake the camp, he should do something.

"Daryl?"

She sounded small, hoarse, but not without that damn optimism of hers.

"Daryl."

His name tumbled from her lips again, a note of hysterics coloring her voice.

"Daryl!" She cried and stumbled the last distance to him.

His trance was broken, and the bow forgotten as she threw her arms around his middle. He placed his hands on her back, pressing gently to make sure she was real and not a hallucination, forged from his wishful thinking.

The tension that had been brewing inside him seemed to instantly dissipate. A weight was lifted from the pit of his stomach with the return of the girl that shook with quiet sobs in his arms. She looked up at him, nose red and a pouting bottom lip.

"I told you that you were gonna miss me so bad when I'm gone." Beth said, a smug smile tugging at her lips as she wiped her eyes with a grimy shirt sleeve.

Daryl tentatively reached for her, brushing a stray tear off her cheek with his thumb. He fought a smile of his own as she buried her face into his chest. He breathed her name, a mere whisper on the wind.

"Beth." He croaked, his hold on her tightening.

"I missed you." She whispered, her voice muffled in his poncho.

She pulled away from his grasp, holding a hand to her head. Beth's smile faltered as she swayed in front of him. He opened his mouth but she waved him off.

"I'm fine, Daryl. I'm fine." She insisted.

He let out a huff but didn't press the matter.

"Come on, I'll take you to the others." Daryl said gruffly, masking his concern.

"The others?" Her face lit up again.

He paused, wanting to take in every second of her happiness. Who knew how many they had left? They all had learned that lesson the hard way.

"Yeah, after you were, uh, taken," He frowned before continuing. "I came across Rick, Michonne, and Carl. We heard of this place, Terminus."

"Terminus?" Beth interrupted, gripping his arm for support.

"Long story." He shook his head. "That's where the rest of them were. We broke out of there and been runnin' ever since."

"Daryl." She called, her voice wavering as she tugged on his arm, pitching forward.

"Jesus, Beth." His heart lurching in his chest as he scooped her up in his arms.

Her forehead rested against the exposed skin of his neck, and she was burning up. Daryl pressed his lips together, picking up the pace while trying not to jostle the feverish Beth. Tendrils of hair tickled his jaw. She was okay, she had to be okay. This was Beth. This was his Beth, the fighter. There was no way in any hell that she was going to return only to leave him again, he wouldn't let her.

"It's gonna be fine." She said softly.

"Course it will." He ground his teeth, finally reaching the perimeter of camp.

There were still some members of the group still up, going over maps of the area by firelight.

"Is that Daryl? What is he carrying – Oh God!"

They heard Maggie before they could spot her as she came flying across camp. The noise of her cries probably attracting walkers for miles, but no one seemed the least bit concerned as the two sisters were reunited.

"Is she alive?" Maggie brushed back a wisp of Beth's hair, feeling the heat of her skin. She let out a shaky laugh, covering her mouth with her other hand.

"Of course I'm alive. We Greene's don't go without putting up a fight." Beth grinned, tumbling from Daryl's arms into her sister's.

They wept with each other, and Daryl felt the compulsion to turn away. It was a private moment celebrating unlikely circumstances.

Maggie held her out at arm's length, checking her over.

"Bites, scratches?" Maggie's grin diminished until Beth shook her head.

"No bites, no scratches." Beth confirmed.

The rest of the group stopped what they were doing, some sitting up drowsily from sleeping bags and emerging from tents to inspect the commotion only to find the two Greene's.

"Oh, Beth." Maggie whispered, holding her sister once again. Tears dripped off her cheeks into Beth's hair. "But how did you find us?"

Beth shot a look at Daryl, the corner of her lips tugging up.

"Daryl. After I escaped, I ran into the woods and got tangled in some left over trap. I recognized it as how he taught me to set them up. So I followed them for about two days and that's when I saw the fire. I had nothing to lose coming closer, but I had this nagging feeling it was you guys. I was right."

Daryl coughed, scratching the back of his head as the group gave him looks of admiration. He knew they meant well, but he was no hero and that's how they saw him. He resisted the urge to bolt, to escape the uncomfortable feeling squirming in his gut.

"Good to know you'd been paying attention and my efforts weren't for nothin'." He grumbled, adjusting the strap of the crossbow.

"Well, we're glad you're safe now, Beth. I have some questions for you, but we can cover those in the morning." Rick smiled, it reached his eyes as it so rarely did now.

Carl had joined the rest of them with bleary eyes and Judith on his hip. Beth eagerly took her into her arms, cooing over how the girl had grown. She kissed her cheeks, clutching her tight. Judith played with Beth's ponytail, giggling, and Beth gave a watery laugh. The thought crossed her mind that if the baby could make it, then there was a chance they could do this, they could survive. The rest of everyone else took their turn in welcoming her back into the family. They hadn't noticed at first, the difference Beth had made. She didn't hunt or stand watch, but the silence around the campfire without her sweet, soft voice singing whatever came to mind had become overbearing. She had carried enough hope for the rest of them.

Daryl stood back, watching. The sound of her laugh replenished the faded memory in his head. He let out a breath and nearly jumped when he found Maggie next to him.

"I want to thank you properly, Dixon, for taking care of Beth. I know she's just a kid, but she wasn't your responsibility. She's back and safe now because of you. I can't ever repay you for that." She smiled softly at him, unconsciously rubbing her belly that had only begun to show.

"It's nothin'. She ain't a kid anymore. She held her own well enough." Daryl shrugged.

He stumbled backward with the force of her embrace, and she refused to let go until he patted her back. Maggie finally pulled away, satisfied, with a grin so big it hurt.

"You two are so stubborn." He muttered, fixing his poncho.

"It's a Greene thing." Maggie bumped his shoulder affectionately before rejoining Beth.

Daryl wasn't a touchy-feely person, not by a longshot, but Maggie's hug took him by surprise in he appreciated it much more than he let on.

"Daryl?"

His head snapped up as she called his name.

"Comin'?" Beth waved him over.

He complied, muttering something about those Greene girls. He fell into step as Maggie led them to the makeshift kitchen where she handed Beth a can of peaches.

"I know how you used to love the ones we would steal from that orchid the next farm over." Maggie said, sitting next to Beth near the fire.

"That seems like forever ago." Beth frowned slightly, staring into the glowing embers as the last of the memory drifted from her mind.

Maggie stifled a yawn, suddenly remembering she had news. She fiddled with the ring on her finger, clearing her throat. Beth swallowed the last of the juice in the can, dabbing at the corners of her mouth with the sleeve of her shirt. Her manners were comical to Daryl, a touch of old-fashioned humanity. He leaned against the tree, fiddling with his bow as he kept watch over the two sisters. Rick had taken Daryl's position early on the outskirts of camp with Michonne as guards for the night. Glenn was still taking with the others over the maps, shooting glances at Maggie when he thought no one was looking.

"Beth, I have some news." Maggie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, swallowing. "You're going to be an aunt."

Daryl watched lazily as Beth's face lit up again, and she covered her mouth with both hands to contain her squeals of excitement. She threw her arms around Maggie's neck.

"Maggie, I'm so happy for you, and for Glenn! It is Glenn's, isn't it?" Beth shot her a look.

Maggie rolled her eyes, slapping Beth's shoulder lightly.

"Of course it's his! We found out two months ago." Maggie looked down at her stomach lovingly. "But come on, you need sleep."

They both got to their feet, Beth stumbling as she did so. She held out an arm for Daryl, and he glanced between Beth and Maggie, waiting for some sort of permission. When no objection was made, he took her outstretched arm and she leaned on him. He could sense her exhaustion. She was hiding it well from the others, but he knew her. He could tell.

Maggie spread out a sleeping bag and some extra blankets next to hers, and Daryl held onto Beth as she lowered herself to the ground. Her shoulders sagged in relief, she was finally home.

"You'll feel better once you're rested. You're safe now, Beth." Maggie held her hand.

"I know." Beth glanced at Daryl, and he averted his eyes, finding his boots much more interesting.

"I'll stay up with you until you fall asleep." Maggie offered.

"I'll keep watch. You need your rest with your condition and all." Daryl interjected, and a slow smile spread across Maggie's face.

She turned over and shut her eyes, her breaths soon becoming slow and even. Daryl moved to get up for a better view of the surroundings. A tug on his poncho yanked him back, Beth's fingers were firmly wrapped around the fabric. Her eyes were shut softly.

"Please?" She whispered.

He sighed, sitting against the tree by her side. A ghost of a smile brushed her features, the soft light of the dying fire making her look angelic. Daryl rubbed his chin, something else was nagging him. He noted the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, and he swallowed, leaning forward.

"I'm…sorry, Beth. You shoulda never been taken in the first place." His voice was hoarse.

Her fist tightened on his poncho. He leaned back, the weariness of the last two months raining down on him. Daryl no longer had a reason to stay awake, running through that night for any sort of clue he would have missed leading to Beth. The rough bark of the tree scratched at his scalp, but he hadn't felt more comfortable in weeks.

Beth shifted closer to Daryl, her head resting against his lap. His lips curved into a half-smile. He hesitantly placed his hand on her head, her hair like silk beneath his calloused palm. He ran the strands through his fingers with a feather light touch, the motion calming him.

He had no intention of sleeping, but the gentle rustling of the trees and the sound of her steady breathing soon lulled him into a blessedly dreamless slumber.

* * *

Daryl woke with a start, trying to piece together the jumbled mess in his head. He glanced down, Beth was still asleep. He smoothed a hand over his forehead, a confirmation last night wasn't a dream. He saw Maggie was gone, her makeshift bed folded up neatly. He felt heat rise into his cheeks as she probably found him sleeping next to Beth. He heard a snicker and sent a glare in its general direction.

"What?" He scowled at Michonne who was crouched cleaning her katana.

"Nothing." She replied innocently, still smirking and still staring.

"Is it because I'm beautiful or somethin'?" He moved to stand, taking care not to disturb Beth who was snuggled against his side. He stretched the stiff muscles that had gone numb from sleeping against that damn tree.

She snorted, but that irritatingly knowing smile was still plastered on her face. Michonne recognized those looks Daryl would give Beth. She got those same looks once. The memory deflating her amusement in teasing him.

"We're heading out today." She announced, deciding her weapon was decent enough and sheathed it on her back.

She left Daryl and Beth alone, opting to gather supplies. Beth stirred, her blue eyes blinking sleepily.

"Mornin'?" She said, rolling onto her back and stretching.

"Half the day is wasted, lazy." He responded, checking his crossbow.

She laughed softly, taking her time getting up.

"I told ya so." Beth said, breaking the comfortable silence that fell between them.

"You told me so what?" He paused, arching an eyebrow.

"I told you they were still alive, they were still out there somewhere." Her hands were on her hips with a smug smile.

He rolled his eyes.

"I didn't wanna get your hopes up."

It was Beth's turn to roll her eyes.

"It was because you needed me, you didn't want me running off to find them." She said, walking away to join the rest of camp.

Daryl opened his mouth to reply, struck with nothing to retort with.

"Brat." He called after her.

Beth shot a grin over her shoulder, one that seemingly knocked the air out of his lungs. She was back, she really and truly was back.

He shook his head, having no choice but to follow her.


End file.
